Stretching Exercises for Arthritis

Stretching particularly benefits those with arthritis by lubricating the joints and by enhancing and maintaining their range of motion. By doing so, stretching takes the strain off of joints and therefore helps to ease pain.

If a certain area or joint is causing you pain, you may want to consider stretching the areas around the joint so as to relieve the pressure. A stretching exercise routine is a great way to start your morning or to finish your day!

There are two different types of stretching exercises: dynamic and static.

Dynamic stretching is more movement based and is helpful when stretching cold muscles.

Static stretching holds stretches for longer periods of time and is most beneficial when the muscles are already warm.

It can be easy to warm yourself up before starting static stretching by taking a quick walk around the block, maybe with a friend or a pet, or by dancing to a few of your favorite songs!

Because many of us sit for long periods of our day, whether at school, at work, in a car, or on a bus, it is very important to stretch the hips and the low back to alleviate pain in those areas. You will see some stretches for those areas in the video sequence above, but feel free to explore other stretches for that section of the body.

Join me in a short stretching for arthritis sequence by playing the video above. Make sure you are in clothes that you can comfortably move in, and maybe play some soothing music to help the body and mind relax.

If your muscles are cold, you can move through the sequence quicker than I am for a dynamic stretch, otherwise, try warming up first to move through the stretches at the pace in the video, for a more static stretch. Enjoy!